"Thus it is said that one who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be endangered in a hundred engagements."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War.

War on Terrorism

Friday, July 13, 2018

Coalition, Iraqi Artillery Support Operation Roundup

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- South of Sinjar, Iraq, near the Syrian
border, Iraqi and coalition troops lived and worked side by side for more than
a month as they shelled Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorists in Syria.

Iraqi and coalition artillery units established Fire Support
Base Um Jorais, a temporary artillery position, June 1 to support ground forces
in Operation Roundup, the campaign to accelerate the defeat of ISIS remnants.

Troops at “FB UJ” provided vital fire support to ground
forces engaging ISIS as Iraqi security forces tightened border security,
preventing desperate terrorists from fleeing the battlefield. Iraqi air force
F-16 fighters concurrently supported operations with cross-border strikes on
ISIS targets in Syria. As part of its defeat-ISIS mission in Iraq and Syria,
the coalition and its partners position assets in response to changing
conditions on the battlefield, allowing them to achieve the best possible
effects, officials said.

Iraqi troops began moving guns out of Fire Support Base Um
Jorais on July 4 in a phased withdrawal. Coalition artillery and support
functions followed, enabling clearance of the position after 34 days of combined
operations.

The coalition is committed to working by, with and through
partner forces to achieve the lasting defeat of ISIS and helping to set the
conditions for stabilization operations in Iraq and Syria, task force officials
said.